Asda puts brake on lost trolleys

Thursday 8 August 2002 23:00 BST

SUPERMARKETS are to use 'technotrolleys' to protect their property from 'wandering off'. The trolleys, which are to be introduced in 37 Asda stores at a cost of £2.4m, are fitted with tiny radio transmitters. They trigger an immobiliser which puts a trolley's brake on if it crosses a line at the edge of the premises.

The initiative follows a trial at six Asda stores, where the number of trolleys lost each year was cut from nearly 80% to fewer than 5%. Asda loses 40,000 trolleys each year, costing more than £2m.